Method and apparatus for feeding cigarettes or analogous articles to packing machines or the like

ABSTRACT

Trays containing stacks of cigarettes are moved to an evacuating station above a vertically movable platform which descends as soon as the movable bottom of a filled tray is moved to its open position. The platform then lowers a stack of cigarettes from the interior of a filled tray onto the upper stretches of two intermittently driven endless belts in a magazine. The latter serves for temporary storage of such stacks prior to transport of cigarettes into a reservoir which feeds cigarettes into the hopper of a packing machine. The supply of cigarettes in the reservoir is monitored.[.,.]. and.Iadd., .Iaddend.when the supply is depleted to a certain minimum permissible value, a switch produces a signal which starts a motor for the belts so as to transfer a stack from the magazine into the reservoir. The stacks are confined during movement into and from the magazine so that the mutual positions of cigarettes in such stacks remain at least substantially unchanged during transport from a filled tray at the evacuating station and all the way into the reservoir. .Iadd.

Reference to Related Applications

This is a continuation of Ser. No. 748,927 filed Dec. 9, 1976, which isreissue of U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,611..Iaddend.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manipulatingrod-shaped smokers' products including plain or filter-tipped cigars,cigarillos or cigarettes as well as sections of simple or compositefilter rods. More particularly, the invention relates to a method andapparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles which are temporarilystacked and confined in polygonal receptacles of the type known aschargers or trays and must be fed to a consuming station, for example,to a station accommodating one or more packing machines, one or moremachines for pneumatically transporting cigarettes, filter stubs or thelike to one or more filter tipping or packing machines and/or othertypes of consuming machines.

It is well known to introduce the output of one or more producingmachines, such as machines for the making of plain or filter cigarettesor machines for the making of simple or multiplex filter rod sections,into receptacles known as trays or charger.Iadd.s .Iaddend.and totransport the receptacles to one or more consuming machines. If thearticles are plain or filter tipped cigarettes or the like, thereceptacles will normally transport such articles to one or more packingmachines. If the articles are sections of filter rods, they are normallytransported to one or more machines for the making of filter tippedsmokers' products.

Receptacles in the form of chargers or trays for stacks of confinedrod-shaped articles are often utilized for transport of plain or filtercigarettes from one or more producing machines to one or more packingmachines. A packing machine for cigarettes is normally provided with ahopper or a similar container for storage of a certain number ofcigarettes which are withdrawn in the form of groups or blocks (e.g.,blocks of twenty cigarettes each in the customary array including twoouter layers of seven cigarettes each and a median layer of sixcigarettes which are staggered with respect to the cigarettes of theouter layers). Furthermore, it is customary to provide for each packingmachine a reservoir which supplies cigarettes to the hopper and servesto accommodate a major or main supply of cigarettes so as to insure thatthe packing machine need not be arrested in response to each (evenshort-lasting) stoppage of the associated producing machine or machines.In many instances, the transport of cigarettes from one or moreproducing machines to the reservoir for a packing machine is effected bya conveyor system which circulates filled and empty receptacles.Reference may be had to German printed publication No. 1,904,495 whichdescribes an automatic transporting system for receptacles in the formof chargers or trays. A filled tray is delivered to an evacuatingstation and its reciprocable bottom wall is thereupon moved to an openposition. A plunger or pusher applies by gravity a requisite pressure tothe top layer of cigarettes in the tray so as to expel the stack ofcigarettes from the interior of the tray into an intermediate magazine.The main purpose of the plunger is to equalize the top layer ofcigarettes during evacuation from the tray. The thus emptied tray isthen replaced with a filled tray and the same procedure is repeated.Conveyor belts are employed to transfer cigarettes from the intermediatemagazine into the reservoir for the packing machine. The transfer offresh stacks of cigarettes from filled trays into the intermediatemagazine takes place at spaced intervals so that the lowermost layer ofcigarettes in a filled tray which occupies the evacuating station isoften located well above the top layer of cigarettes in the intermediatemagazine. Consequently, the cigarettes which are being expelled from afilled tray must cover a considerable distance by moving under theaction of gravity so that at least some cigarettes are likely to changetheir orientation and to clog the intermediate magazine and/or thereservoir for the packing machine. Improper orientation of a singlecigarette often necessitates lengthy interruptions in the operation of apacking machine with attendant losses in output and contamination of therespective reservoir and/or packing machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method andapparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles, particularly rod-shapedarticles which constitute or form part of smokers' products, in such away that the articles are either prevented from changing or are highlyunlikely to change their orientation during transport from filledreceptacles to one or more consuming stations where the articles aresubjected to further processing, such as packing, pneumatic transport orthe like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus forthe transport of cigarettes, filter stubs or analogous rod-shapedarticles in such a way that the articles are manipulated gently, i.e.,without excessive deformation, damage, losses of tobacco shreds and/orsmudging, and that one or more consuming stations invariably receive andstore a requisite minimum supply of such articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedmethod and apparatus for the transport of cigarettes or the like fromsuccessive filled receptacles of the type having pivotable, reciprocableor otherwise movable bottom walls to the hopper of a packing oranalogous consuming machine.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedcontrol system for an apparatus which is used to remove stacks ofrod-shaped articles from receptacles in the form of chargers or traysand feeds such articles to one or more packing or like machines at arate corresponding to the rate of further processing of articles in suchmachine or machines.

One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of amethod of feeding to a consuming station cigarettes or analogousrod-shaped articles for further processing, for example, for introducinggroups of articles into envelopes which are produced in or fed to a.[.Packing.]. .Iadd.packing .Iaddend.machine. More particularly, theinvention relates to a method of feeding to a consuming stationrod-shaped articles which are transported from at least one producingstation (e.g., from one or more machines for the making of plain orfilter cigarettes) to an evacuating station in the form of stacks ofconfined parallel articles. The stacks may be confined in receptacles ofthe type commonly known as chargers or trays and having a wall(preferably a bottom wall) which is movable between open and closedpositions.

The method comprises the steps of withdrawing successive stacks from theevacuating station by moving the stacks in a substantially verticaldirection (this term is intended to denote any direction which has avertical component and to embrace a movement from a lower level to ahigher level or vice versa) while maintaining the articles of therespective stacks in at least substantially unchanged positions withrespect to each other whereby each of the thus withdrawn stacks forms anintermediate supply of parallel articles, transporting batches ofarticles from the intermediate supply in a substantially horizontaldirection (this definition is intended to embrace any movement which hasa horizontal component) while maintaining the articles of the respectivebatches in at least substantially unchanged positions with respect toeach other whereby the thus transported batches form a main supply ofparallel articles, and transferring articles from the main supply to theconsuming station at the rate at which the articles are being processedat the consuming station. The number of articles in each batch may equalthe number of articles in a stack so that the intermediate supply ofarticles is exhausted upon completion of each transporting step.

The method may further comprise the steps of monitoring the main supplyof articles and initiating the transporting step in response todepletion of the main supply to a predetermined minimum value. Thetransporting step preferably comprises moving the articles of thebatches sideways, and the arrangement is preferably such that thecompletion of each transporting step triggers a next-followingwithdrawing step, i.e., that a fresh stack of rod-shaped articles isremoved or withdrawn from the evacuating station in response tocompleted transport of a batch of articles into the main supply.

The method further preferably comprises the steps of blocking thewithdrawal of stacks from the evacuating station and terminating theblocking step in response to completion of a withdrawing step. If thestacks of articles are confined in aforedescribed receptacles, theblocking step may include maintaining the wall of a filled receptacle atthe evacuating station in its closed position until immediately prior tostart of a withdrawing step, and returning the wall of the freshlyemptied receptacle to its closed position in response to completion ofsuch withdrawing step.

The transferring step preferably comprises moving the articles from themain supply to the consuming station at a speed which is at leastslightly less than the speed of articles in the course of thetransporting step.

The withdrawing step preferably comprises moving successive stacks froma higher level to a lower level, and the evacuating station ispreferably (but not necessarily) located at a level above the consumingstation.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theimproved apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and itsmode of operation, together with additional features and advantagesthereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detaileddescription of certain specific embodiments with reference to theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of an apparatus whichembodies the invention and is used for the feeding of filter cigarettesto a packing machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view as seen inthe direction of arrows from the line II--II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view substantiallyas seen in the direction of arrows from the line III--III of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the control system for the apparatus orFIGS. 1 to 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown an apparatus 1 which isused to evacuate stacks of rod-shaped articles 6 which are confined inreceptacles 2 in the form of so-called chargers or trays at anevacuating station A and to feed the thus evacuated articles to thehopper 4 or analogous storing means of a consuming machine located at aconsuming or processing station B, e.g., a packing machine or a machinefor pneumatically transporting filter stubs or analogous rod-shapedarticles to one or more machines for the making of filter cigarettes,cigars or cigarillos. The articles 6 which are stored in receptacles 2(hereinafter called trays for short) and in the hopper 4 of theconsuming machine at the station B are assumed to be filter cigarettes(see particularly FIGS. 2 and 3); however, it is evident that theapparatus 1 is equally suited for manipulation of other rod-shapedarticles, such as plain cigarettes, plain or filter cigars, plain orfilter cigarillos, simple filter stubs, composite filter stubs and/orothers. The illustrated hopper 4 is assumed to form part of a packingmachine wherein the cigarettes 6 are arrayed to form blocks or groupswhich are thereupon introduced into envelopes and sealed prior tointroduction into cartons or the like. Each envelope may comprise one ormore layers, for example, an innermost layer of tinfoil, a median layerof paper, and an outermost layer of transparent synthetic plasticmaterial which can be provided with a customary tear strip. The lowerportion of the hopper 4 is formed with several parallel vertical ducts4a into which the cigarettes 6 descend to form vertical rows and fromwhich a pusher or a like transfer device expels blocks or groups of, forexample, twenty cigarettes each.

The apparatus 1 comprises a withdrawing or removing mechanism whichserves to transfer the stack of cigarettes 6 which are confined in afilled tray 2 at the station A into an intermediate magazine 21(hereinafter called magazine), and a transporting mechanism which servesto move batches of parallel cigarettes from the magazine 21 into a mainmagazine or reservoir 3 (hereinafter called reservoir) whichcommunicates with the upper portion of the hopper 4.

The tray 2 which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is one of a series of trayswhich are circulated along an endless path between one or more producingmachines located at a producing station (such as one or more filtercigarette making machines of the type known as MAX and produced byHauni-Werke, Korber & Co., K.G., of Hamburg-Bergedorf, Western Germany),and the evacuating station A which is located at a level above themagazine 21 and consuming station B. The conveyor system whichcirculates the trays 2 between the station A and the stationaccommodating one or more producing machines is not shown in thedrawing. Reference may be had to the aforementioned German printedpublication which discloses a suitable conveyor system for trays. Thearrangement is preferably such that a freshly emptied tray 2 isautomatically removed from the evacuating station A to be replaced witha filled tray so that a filled tray is always held in a position ofreadiness for transfer of its contents into the magazine 21. Each tray 2has blocking means here shown as a slidable or otherwise movable bottomwall or gate 9 which can be moved between a closed or interceptingposition in which it closes the lower end of the compartment in therespective tray and an open or extended position which is shown in FIG.1 and in which the stack of cigarettes 6 can be evacuated by gravityfrom the compartment of the tray into the magazine 21. It is assumedthat the tray 2 has a bottom wall 9 which is reciprocable between itsopen and closed positions.

The apparatus 1 further comprises a mechanism which serves to move thebottom wall 9 of a filled tray 2 at the evacuating station A first tothe open position of FIG. 1 and thereupon back to the closed or blockingposition. Such mechanism is illustrated in FIG. 1 and it comprises afluid-operated motor here shown as including a pneumatically operateddouble-acting cylinder and piston unit having a fixedly mounted cylinder7 which is located above the evacuating station A and whose piston rod7a carries a downwardly extending motion transmitting arm or bar 8having a hook-shaped lower end portion 8a which can engage and entrain asuitably configurated complementary coupling portion 9a of the bottomwall 9. When a filled tray 2 is introduced into the evacuating station A(by moving in a direction at right angles to the plane of FIG. 1), thepiston rod 7a is retracted and the coupling portion 9a of the bottomwall 9 of such tray automatically engages the end portion 8a of the arm8 when the tray 2 comes to rest. Analogously, when the contents of thetray 2 at the station A are transferred into the magazine 21 and thetray is to be removed from the station A, it again moves in a directionat right angles to the plane of FIG. 1 so that the coupling portion 9aof the bottom wall 9 (in the closed position of such bottom wall) can beautomatically disengaged from the end portion 8a which remains in thecorresponding position so as to automatically engage the couplingportion 9a on the closed bottom wall 9 of the next filled tray.

The withdrawing or removing mechanism for transferring the contents of atray 2 at the evacuating station A into the magazine 21 without anyappreciable changes in the relative positions of cigarettes 6 withrespect to each other comprises a vertically movable support here shownas a platform 11 which is reciprocable by a second fluid-operated motorincluding a fixedly mounted double-acting pneumatic cylinder 12 having apiston rod 10 the upper end of which is affixed to the platform 11. Thebottom wall 9 of a filled tray 2 at the evacuating station A is moved toits open position immediately after the platform 11 reaches its upperend position so that it is closely adjacent to the lowermost layer ofcigarettes 6 in such tray. The platform 11 thereupon descends with theentire contents of the tray 2 and deposits the lowermost layer ofcigarettes 6 onto the elongated upper stretches of two endless conveyorbelts 14, 16 which are operated intermittently to thereby transportbatches of cigarettes 6 sideways along a substantially horizontal pathfor introduction into the reservoir 3. The bottom wall 9 of a freshlyemptied tray 2 at the evacuating station A is automatically returned toits closed position when the platform 11 reaches its lower end positionso that the lowermost layer of cigarettes 6 which were evacuated fromthe tray already rests on the upper stretches of the belts 14 and 16. Asshown in FIG. 2, the platform 11 is movable up and down in the spacebetween the belts 14 and 16 and, when caused to assume its lower endposition, the upper surface of the platform 11 is located at leastslightly below the upper stretches of these belts.

The drive means for intermittently operating the conveyor belts 14, 16comprises an electric motor 17 which drives a common shaft 17a for the.[.rest.]. .Iadd.rear .Iaddend.rollers 14a, 16a of the belts through theintermediary of a belt or chain transmission 17b. Two elongated sidewalls 18 and 19 flank the magazine 21, the reservoir 3 and the hopper 4.These side walls hold the cigarettes 6 in the magazine 21, reservoir 3and hopper 4 against axial or lengthwise movement to thus reduce thelikelihood of jamming by preventing the cigarettes from leaving thepositions in which they are parallel to each other and normal to theplane of FIG. 1.

The belts 14 and 16 constitute two conveyors of the transporting systemwhich is utilized to move batches of cigarettes 6 from the magazine 21into the reservoir 3. Such transporting system further comprises twolateral conveyors 15, 20 which are located at the outer sides of thewalls 18, 19 and respectively comprise endless chains 22, 23 mounted fortravel in a common horizontal plane (see FIG. 3). The chains 22, 23 arerespectively trained around sprocket wheels 24, 26 and 27, 28. The drivemeans for intermittently operating the chains 22, 23 comprises anelectric motor 36 which is preferably driven continuously and can rotatea shaft 34 in response to energization of an electromagnetic clutch 37.The shaft 34 drives two bevel gears 31, 33 which respectively mesh withbevel gears 29, 32. The bevel gear 29 is mounted on a vertical shaftwhich drives the front sprocket wheel 24 for the chain 22. The verticalshaft of the bevel gear 32 drives the front sprocket wheel 27 for thechain 23.

The chain 22 is articulately connected with three upright panels orwalls 38, 39, 41 which are equidistant from each other and each of whichcan serve to push a batch of cigarettes 6 from the magazine 21 into thereservoir 3 or to serve as a barrier or blocking means against movementof cigarettes 6 from the magazine 21 into the reservoir 3. The chain 23is articulately connected with three similar upright panels or walls 42,43 and 44. In the positions of the chains 22, 23 as shown in FIG. 2, thepanels 38, 42 cooperate to block the movement of cigarettes 6 from themagazine 21 into the reservoir 3, and the panels 41, 44 are locatedbehind a stack or batch of cigarettes 6 in the magazine 21 and are readyto transfer such batch into the reservoir 3 in response to starting ofthe chains 22, 23, i.e., in response to energization of the clutch 37 inthe power train between the motor 36 and the sprocket wheels 24, 27. Thepanels 39, 43 reach the positions occupied by the panels 41, 44 when thepanels 41, 44 reach the positions occupied by the panels 38, 42, and thepanels 38, 42 then reach the positions occupied by the panels 39, 43. Itis evident that each of the chains 22, 23 can be articulately connectedwith only two or more than three panels. Each of the panels 38, 39, 41and 42, 43, 44 is provided with a roller follower 46. The rollerfollowers 46 of the panels 38, 39, 41 can be moved within or without asuitably configurated cam slot or groove 49 which is defined by a guiderail 47. A similar guide rail 48 defines a second cam slot or groove 51for the roller followers 46 of the panels 42, 43, 44. The slots 49, 51guide the roller followers 46 during travel of the respective panelsfrom the front sprocket wheels 24, 27 toward the respective rearsprocket wheels 26, 28 and also toward engagement of successive panels38, 39, 41 and 42, 43, 44 with the suitably configurated (curved) rearend portions of the side walls 18, 19 (see FIG. 2). From there on, thepanels are guided by the respective side walls during travel toward thefront sprocket wheels 24, 27. As shown in FIG. 3, the width of a panelcan be only a small fraction of the length of a cigarette 6.

The front portions of the slots 49, 51 respectively accommodateswitching devices in the form of leaf springs 52, 53 which serve toinsure proper guidance of successive roller followers 46 during entryinto the respective slots. As shown in FIG. 2, the switching devices 52,53 are adjacent to the front sprocket wheels 24, 27, i.e., adjacent tothe regions where the panels 38, 39, 41 and 42, 43, 44 are respectivelydisengaged from the side walls 18, 19 and begin to be guided by therails 47, 48 during travel back toward the rear end portions of therespective side walls.

The means for introducing successive roller followers 46 into the frontend portions of the slots 49, 51 comprises two pivotable shifting levers54, 55 which are respectively adjacent to the front sprocket wheels 24,27 and can be pivoted by electromagnets 57, 58. Referring to FIG. 2, itwill be seen that, when the electromagnet 57 is energized so as to pivotthe lever 54 in a counterclockwise direction, the longer arm of thelever 54 engages the roller follower 46 of the panel 38 and pivots thispanel with reference to the chain 22 until the roller follower 46 entersthe front end of the slot 49 in the guide rail 48. When theelectromagnet 57 is thereupon de-energized, the lever 54 automaticallyreassumes the illustrated position under the action of a spring or othersuitable biasing means. The mode of operation of the lever 56 for theroller followers 46 of the panels 42, 43, 44 is analogous. Theelectromagnets 57, 58 are shown as being mounted on the guide rails 47,48.

The reservoir 3 contains a flexible monitoring device or detector 59which rests on the uppermost layer of cigarettes 6 and reduces thelikelihood of undesirable changes in orientation of cigarettes in thereservoir. Furthermore, the detector 59 serves as a level indicator inthat it carries a mass or weight 61 which can trip a detector in theform of a limit switch 62 when the supply of cigarettes 6 in thereservoir 3 is reduced to a predetermined minimum value which warrantsthe admission of a fresh batch of cigarettes from the magazine 21.

FIG. 1 shows that the upper stretches of the belts 14, 16 travel above aroll 63 which is parallel with the cigarettes 6 and is locatedsubstantially at the boundary between the magazine 21 and reservoir 3.The front roll 64 for the belts 14, 16 can be moved by a suitablyinclined feed screw 66 or an analogous adjusting device to thereby flexthe front portions of the upper stretches of belts 14, 16 (in thereservoir 3) relative to the rear portions (in the magazine 21). Thisrenders it possible to combine the apparatus 1 with existing consumingmachines by insuring an optimum transport of cigarettes or analogousrod-shaped articles from the magazine into the reservoir and hopper orhoppers. By inclining the front portions of the upper stretches of thebelts 14, 16, the operator can also promote the sidewise movement ofcigarettes 6 toward the hopper 4 of the consuming machine. However, anequally important feature of such adjustability of the belts 14, 16 isthat the outlet of the apparatus 1 can be adjusted to insuresatisfactory alignment with the hopper of and a reservoir for anexisting consuming machine.

FIG. 4 illustrates the control system of the apparatus. This controlsystem comprises four control units 71, 77, 78 and 79. The control unit71 includes the aforementioned limit switch 62 which can be actuated bythe weight 61 of the monitoring means 59 in the reservoir 3. The purposeof this control unit is to effect an energization of the electromagnets57, 58 for the shifting levers 54, 55. The control unit 77 serves toenergize the electromagnetic clutch 37 in the power train between themotor 36 and the front sprocket wheels 24, 27 for the chains 22, 23 andto start the motor 17 which drives the belts 14 and 16. The control unit78 serves to deenergize the clutch 37 and to arrest the motor 17 as wellas to control the operation of the double-acting cylinder 12 which movesthe platform 11 toward and away from the evacuating station A. Thepurpose of the control unit 79 is to control the operation of thedouble-acting cylinder 7 which moves the bottom walls 9 of trays 2 atthe station A.

The control unit 71 further comprises a logic circuit 72 of the typeknown as AND-gate. The input a of the AND-gate 72 receives a signal inresponse to actuation of the limit switch 62. The output c of theAND-gate 72 is connected with the input a of a flip-flop circuit 74 byway of a pulse shaper 73. The output c of the flip-flop 74 is connectedwith the windings of the electromagnets 57, 58 by way of an amplifier76. The output c of the AND-gate transmits a signal for energization ofelectromagnets 57, 58 when the input a receives a signal simultaneouslywith the input b.

The control circuit 77 comprises two detectors in the form of normallyopen limit switches 81, 82 which are connected with the two inputs of anAND-gate 83. The output of the AND-gate 83 is connected with the input aof a flip-flop 84 whose output c is connected with the motor 17 andelectromagnetic clutch 37 by way of an amplifier 86. The motor 17 isstarted and the clutch 37 is energized in response to simultaneousclosing of the limit switches 81, 82. As shown in FIG. 2, the limitswitches 81, 82 are respectively actuatable by the levers 54, 55, i.e.,in response to energization of the electromagnets 57, 58. The output cof the flip-flop 84 in the control circuit 77 is further connected withthe signal erasing input b of the flip-flop 74 in the control unit 71 byway of an adjustable R-C link 87 which constitutes a time delay device.When the input b of the flip-flop 74 receives a signal from the timedelay device 87, the signal at the output c is erased and theelectromagnets 57, 58 are de-energized.

The control unit 78 comprises two detectors in the form of normally openlimit switches 88, 89 which, as shown in FIG. 2, are mounted adjacent tothe front sprocket wheels 24, 27 for the chains 22, 23 and arerespectively actuatable by successive panels 38, 39, 41 and 42, 43, 44.The limit switches 88, 89 are connected to the two inputs of an AND-gate90 whose output is connected with a pulse shaper 91. The output of thepulse shaper 91 is connected with a signal erasing input b of theflip-flop 84 in the control unit 77 and with the input a of a flip-flop92. The output c of the flip-flop 92 is connected with the solenoid ofan electropneumatic valve 94 by way of an amplifier 93. The valve 94controls the flow of pressurized fluid (preferably air) from a fluidsource 102 to the chambers of the double-acting cylinder 12. When theplatform 11 is moved to its upper end position, the piston 10a in thecylinder 12 closes a resetting switch 96 which is connected with thesignal erasing input b of the flip-flop 92. When the platform 11 reachesits lower end position, the piston 10a actuates a further resettingswitch 97 which is connected with the input b of the AND-gate 72 in thecontrol unit 71.

The control unit 79 comprises a flip-flop 98 whose first input a isconnected with the resetting switch 96 for the flip-flop 92 and whosesecond (signal erasing) input b is connected with the resetting switch97. The output c of the flip-flop 98 is connected with the solenoid ofan electropneumatic valve 100 by way of an amplifier 99. The valve 100controls the flow of a pressurized fluid (preferably air) from a fluidsource 101 to the chambers of the double-acting cylinder 7. The cylinder7 is caused to move the bottom wall 9 of a filled tray 2 at theevacuating station A to open position in response to closing of theswitch 96, and the bottom wall 9 is thereupon returned to its closedposition in response to closing of the switch 97.

The operation:

It is assumed that a filled tray 2, with its bottom wall 9 in closedposition, is located at the evacuating station A and that the reservoir3 contains a relatively small main supply of cigarettes 6. This meansthat the hopper 4 is still filled with cigarettes. When the supply ofcigarettes in the reservoir 3 is depleted to a predetermined minimumvalue, the weight 61 of the monitoring means 59 actuates the switch 62while the platform 11 dwells in its lower end position so that theswitch 97 of the control unit 78 is closed. Thus, the input b of theAND-gate 72 in the control unit 71 receives a signal. When the input aof this AND-gate receives a signal in response to the closing of theswitch 62, the output c transmits a signal which energizes theelectromagnets 57, 58 by way of the flip-flop 74 and amplifier 76. Theenergized electromagnets 57, 58 respectively pivot the levers 54, 55which retract the blocking panels 38, 42 and move the followers 46 ofthese panels into the respective slots 49, 51. The panels 38, 42 areretracted through suitable openings in the side walls 18, 19.

The levers 54, 56 respectively close the switches 81, 82 of the controlunit 77 whereby the AND-gate 83 transmits a signal which starts themotor 17 and energizes the electromagnetic clutch 37 by way of theflip-flop 84 and amplifier 86. The clutch 37 connects the motor 36 withthe shaft 34 so that the chains 22, 23 of the lateral conveyors 15, 20are set in motion. The motor 17 drives the belts 14, 16 so that theupper stretches of these belts transport the batch or stack ofcigarettes 6 which was temporarily stored in the magazine 21 toward thereservoir 3. The stack or batch remains at least substantially intact(i.e., the relative positions of cigarettes 6 which form such batch orstack remain substantially unchanged) because the chains 22, 23respectively drive the panels 41, 44 which push the stack toward thereservoir 3 while the stack rests on the upper stretches of the movingbelts 14 and 16. The panels 38, 42 are retracted so that they cannotblock the entry of cigarettes 6 into the reservoir 3.

The output signal from the flip-flop 84 of the control unit 77 isfurther transmitted to the time delay device 87 which produces a signalwith a certain delay so that the signal at the output c of the flip-flop74 disappears and the electromagnets 57, 58 are de-energized to effect areturn movement of the levers 54, 56 to the positions shown in FIG. 2.The chains 22, 23 continue to transport the respective panels 38, 39, 41and 42, 43, 44 whereby the roller followers 46 of the panels 38, 39 and43, 43 respectively travel in the slots 49, 51 of the guide rails 47,48. The panels 41, 44 are guided by the side walls 18, 19 and effect acomplete evacuation of cigarettes from the magazine 21 prior toactuating the switches 88, 89 of the control unit 78. The leaf springs52, 53 insure that the roller followers 46 of the panels 38, 42 remainin the respective slots 49, 51 after the levers 54, 56 return to theirstarting positions. The belts 14, 16 transport the cigarettes from theoutlet of the reservoir 3 toward and cause such cigarettes to enter thehopper 4 of the consuming machine. The evacuation of cigarettes from themagazine 21 is carried out mainly by the panels 41 and 44 but the belts14, 16 assist these panels by moving the lower layer of the stack ofcigarettes toward and into the reservoir 3. Since the belts 14, 16 movecigarettes from the reservoir 3 toward and into the hopper 4 only whenthe chains 22 and 23 are in motion, a wall of cigarettes is alwayspresent in front of the panels 38, 42 or FIG. 2 (or in front of thepanels 41, 44 or 39, 43 when these panels occupy the positions shown inFIG. 2 as being occupied by the panels 38 and 42). This reduces thelikelihood of a collapse of the stacks of cigarettes in front of andbehind the panels 38, 42 (as viewed in FIG. 2) and hence the likelihoodof improper orientation of cigarettes such as could cause jamming in themagazine 21, reservoir 3 and/or hopper 4.

The chains 22 and 23 are arrested when the panels 41, 44 reach andactuate the switches 88, 89 of the control unit 78. The AND-gate 90 thenproduces a signal which is transmitted to the erasing input b of theflip-flop 84 by way of the pulse shaper 91. Such signal erases thesignal at the output c of the flip-flop 84 so that the motor 17 isarrested and the clutch 37 is de-energized. Thus, the chains 22, 23 arearrested simultaneously with the belts 14 and 16.

The pulse shaper 91 further transmits a signal to the input a of theflip-flop 92 which energizes the solenoid of the valve 94 by way of theamplifier 93. The valve 94 connects the source 102 of pressurized fluidwith the lower chamber of the double-acting cylinder 12 so that thepiston rod 10 slowly lifts the platform 11 and the piston 10a allows orcauses the switch 97 to open. The switch 96 is closed when the platform11 reaches its upper end position whereby the input b of the flip-flop92 receives a signal which erases the signal at the output c so that thesolenoid of the valve 94 is de-energized and the spring 94a of thisvalve causes the valve member to assume a position in which the source102 is connected with the upper chamber of the cylinder 12 so that theplatform 11 descends and lowers a fresh stack of cigarettes 6 into themagazine 21.

As mentioned above, the closing of the switch 96 by the piston 10aresults in transmission of a signal to the input a of the flip-flop 98in the control unit 79. The flip-flop 98 energizes the solenoid of thevalve 100 by way of the amplifier 99 whereby the valve 100 connects thesource 101 of the pressurized fluid with the double-acting cylinder 7 insuch a way that the arm 8 of the piston rod 7a moves the bottom wall 9of the tray 2 at the evacuating station A to its open position. Thistakes place while the platform 11 dwells in its upper end position. Thecylinder 12 thereupon moves the platform 11 downwardly (because theswitch 96 was closed by the piston 10a). When the platform 11 reachesits lower end position in which the stack of cigarettes 6 which wereevacuated from the tray 2 at the station A rests on the upper stretchesof the belts 14, 16, the piston 10a actuates the switch 97 whichtransmits a signal to the erasing input b of the flip-flop 98 so thatthe valve 100 causes the cylinder 7 to retract its piston rod 7a wherebythe arm 8 returns the bottom wall 9 of the freshly emptied tray 2 to itsclosed position. At the same time, the closed switch 97 transmits asignal to the input b of the AND-gate 72 in the control unit 71 so thatthe electromagnets 57, 58 can be energized again in the aforedescribedmanner as soon as the weight 61 of the monitoring means 59 closes thelimit switch 62. The entire cycle is then repeated in the aforedescribedmanner. It is assumed that the freshly emptied tray 2 is replaced with afilled tray before the supply of cigarettes 6 in the reservoir 3 isdepleted to such an extent that the weight 61 can reach and actuate thelimit switch 62.

The monitoring means 59 in the reservoir 3 prevents overfilling of thereservoir during temporary or longer-lasting stoppage of the consumingmachine. Thus, the monitoring means 59 insures that the floating mainsupply of cigarettes 6 always fluctuates between predetermined uppermostand lowermost levels. When the number of cigarettes 6 in the reservoir 3is reduced to the lowermost permissible value or level, the switch 62produces a signal which results in energization of electromagnets 57, 58and withdrawal of blocking panels (38, 42 in FIG. 2) from their blockingpositions. The levers 54, 56 then actuate the switches or detector means81, 82 which start the motor 17 and energize the clutch 37. When thetransport of a batch or stack of cigarettes 6 from the magazine 21 intothe reservoir 3 is completed (i.e., when the supply of cigarettes in thereservoir 3 increases to the maximum permissible level), the movablepanels 41, 44 of FIG. 2 actuate the detector switches 88, 89 which causethe platform 11 to rise and to initiate the movement of the bottom wall9 of a filled tray 2 at the evacuating station A to its open position.The bottom wall 9 returns to its closed position when the platform 11returns to its lower end position. In this way, the reservoir 3 receivesa fresh batch or stack of cigarettes only at the rate at which thecigarettes are being further processed in the consuming machineincluding the hopper 4. A stack of cigarettes 6 which can fill a tray 2can constitute only a small portion of the main supply of cigarettes inthe reservoir 3 so that the level of cigarettes in this reservoirchanges only little during an interval beginning with introduction of afresh batch and ending with actuation of the switch 62.

The feature that the cigarettes 6 are transported sideways duringwithdrawal from filled trays 2 as well as during transport from themagazine 21 into the reservoir 3 reduces the likelihood that thecigarettes would lose tobacco particles at the free ends of theirwrapped tobacco filler rod sections.

In the illustrated apparatus, the intermediate supply of cigarettes 6 inthe magazine 21 is exhausted whenever the transporting means includingthe belts 14, 16 and chains 22, 23 is set in motion, i.e., the number ofcigarettes in each batch which is being transported into the reservoir 3equals the number of cigarettes in the stack which was transferred intothe magazine during the preceding downward movement of the platform 11.Such mode of operation is preferred at this time even though it iswithin the purview of the invention to transport into the reservoir 3batches each of which contains a predetermined number of cigaretteswhereby such number may be less than or exceeds the number of cigarettesin a filled tray.

The detector switches 88, 89 insure that the magazine 21 receives afresh stack of cigarettes 6 in response to completed transport of abatch of cigarettes from the magazine into the reservoir 3. The switch96 insures that the bottom wall 9 of a filled tray 2 at the evacuatingstation A cannot be moved to its open position before the platform 11reaches its upper end position so that the stack of cigarettes which arefreed for evacuation from the tray immediately reaches the upper surfaceof the platform 11, without allowing the cigarettes to change theirmutual positions during movement toward the platform as well as duringmovement with the platform onto the upper stretches of the belts 14 and16. As explained above, the belts 14, 16 thereupon cooperate with theside walls 18, 19 and with the rearmost and foremost pairs of panels onthe chains 22, 23 to insure that the mutual positions of cigarettes 6 donot change or change negligibly during storage in the magazine 21 aswell as during transport into the reservoir 3.

A fresh filled tray 2 is moved to the evacuating station A as soon asthe evacuation of the contents of the preceding filled tray iscompleted. It is therefore important to close the bottom wall 9 of afreshly emptied tray as soon as possible, i.e., as soon as the uppermostlayer of the stack on the descending platform 11 has been moved belowthe plane of the bottom wall 9. This is achieved by the provision of theswitch 97 which causes the control unit 79 to actuate the cylinder 7 sothat the latter returns the bottom wall 9 of the freshly emptied tray 2to it closed position as soon as the platform 11 reaches its lower endposition. The tray 2 is then free to leave the station A to beimmediately replaced with a filled tray.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the transport ofcigarettes 6 from the reservoir 3 into the hopper 4 of the packingmachine at the consuming station B is carried out at a speed which isless than the speed of evacuation of cigarettes from the magazine 21.This insures that the cigarettes in the reservoir 3 form a wall orbarrier which prevents excessive movements of freshly admittedcigarettes relative to each other and thus reduces the likelihood ofimproper orientation of one or more cigarettes in the main supply whichis stored in the reservoir 3. In other words, it is advisable totransport the cigarettes from the magazine 21 in such a way that thecigarettes cannot drop into the reservoir 3 because such mode ofmanipulating could lead to jamming in the reservoir and/or hopper 4.

An important advantage of the improved apparatus is that itautomatically replenishes the supply of cigarettes in the hopper 4 andalso that the orientation of cigarettes is not only highly unlikely tobut normally cannot change so that the possibility of jamming in themagazine 21, reservoir 3 and/or hopper 4 is very remote. This isattributed to the fact that the cigarettes are always confined duringmovement from a filed tray 2 at the evacuating station A and all the wayinto the reservoir 3 and hopper 4 at the consuming station B. Thus, theplatform 11 is sufficiently close to the station A when the bottom wall9 of a filled tray 2 at this station is moved to the open position toinsure that the gravitational descent of cigarettes onto the uppersurface of the platform is negligible. From there on, the cigarettes areconfined between the side walls 18, 19, upper stretches of the belts 14,16 and two or four of the panels 38, 39, 41 and 42, 43, 44.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featureswhich fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic andspecific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, suchadaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within themeaning and range of equivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:
 1. A method of feeding to a consumingstation cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles which aretransported on holders from at least one producing station to anevacuating station in the form of stacks of confined parallel articlesand are further processed at the consuming station, each stack beingmade up only of the entire contents of one said holder, comprising thesteps of withdrawing each successive stack from each successive holderat said evacuating station by moving the stack in a substantiallyvertical direction only--while maintaining the articles of therespective stack in at least substantially unchanged position withrespect to each other--to an intermediate supply station where each ofthe thus withdrawn stacks forms an intermediate supply of articles;transporting each of said stacks of articles from said intermediatesupply station in a substantially horizontal direction by moving thearticles of said stack sideways and while maintaining the articles ofthe respective stacks in at least substantially unchanged position inwhich they have been during vertical movement from said evacuatingstation to said intermediate supply station whereby the thussuccessively transported stacks form a main supply of articles; andtransferring articles from said main supply to the consuming station inat least substantially parallel position with respect to each other andat the rate at which the articles are being processed at said consumingstation.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the stepsof monitoring said main supply of articles and initiating saidtransporting step in response to depletion of said main supply to apredetermined value.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1, furthercomprising the step of starting a fresh withdrawing step in response tocompletion of each transporting step.
 4. A method as defined in claim 3,further comprising the steps of blocking the withdrawal of stacks ofarticles from said evacuating station and terminating said blocking stepimmediately prior to start of said withdrawing step.
 5. A method asdefined in claim 1, wherein said transferring step comprises moving thearticles from said main supply at a speed which is less than the speedof articles in the course of said transporting step.
 6. A method asdefined in claim 1, wherein said withdrawing step comprises movingsuccessive stacks from a higher level to a lower level.
 7. A method asdefined in claim 1, wherein said evacuating station is located at alevel above said consuming station.
 8. Apparatus for feeding to aconsuming station cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles which aretransported in receptacles from at least one producing station to anevacuating station and wherein each filled receptacle contains a stackof parallel articles, comprising a reservoir arranged to store afloating supply of articles for delivery to said consuming station atthe rate at which the articles are being processed at the consumingstation; a magazine disposed between said evacuating station and saidreservoir; withdrawing means operative to move stacks of articles in asubstantially vertical direction from successive filled receptacles atsaid evacuating station into said magazine, said withdrawing means andsaid magazine comprising cooperating elements arranged to maintain thearticles of said stacks in at least substantially unchanged positionswith respect to each other; transporting means operative to move batchesof articles from said magazine into said reservoir in a substantiallyhorizontal direction, including means for maintaining the articles ofsuch batches in at least substantially unchanged positions with respectto each other, said transporting means comprising at least one conveyorwhich includes a first portion arranged to withdraw articles from saidmagazine and a second portion arranged to move the thus withdrawnarticles in said reservoir; and adjusting means for changing theposition of one said conveyor portions with respect to the otherconveyor portion.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said meansfor maintaining the articles of said batches, in at least substantiallyunchanged positions with respect to each other comprises at least onepair of mobile panels arranged to push the articles of said batchesduring transport into said reservoir.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim8, wherein said conveyor comprises at least one endless belt having anarticle-supporting upper stretch.
 11. Apparatus for feeding to aconsuming station cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles which aretransported in receptacles from at least one producing station to anevacuating station, wherein each filled receptacle contains a stack ofparallel articles, and wherein each receptacle comprises a wall which ismovable between an open position in which it affords access to the stackof articles in such receptacle and a closed position, comprising areservoir arranged to store a floating supply of articles for deliveryto said consuming station at the rate at which the articles are beingprocessed at the consuming station; a magazine disposed between saidevacuating station and said reservoir; withdrawing means operative tomove stacks of articles in a substantially vertical direction fromsuccessive filled receptacles at said evacuating station into saidmagazine, said withdrawing means and said magazine comprisingcooperating elements arranged to maintain the articles of said stacks inat least substantially unchanged positions with respect to each otherand said withdrawing means further comprising a support for stacks whichis movable between a first end position adjacent to a filled receptacleat said evacuating station and a second end position which said supportassumes upon completed transport of a stack of articles into saidmagazine; control means including means for moving the wall of a filledreceptacle at said evacuating station to said open position in responseto movement of said support to said first end position and for movingthe wall of such receptacle back to said closed position in response tomovement of said support to said second end position; and transportingmeans operative to to move batches of articles from said magazine intosaid reservoir in a substantially horizontal direction, including meansof maintaining the articles of such batches in at least substantiallyunchanged positions with respect to each other.
 12. Apparatus as definedin claim 11, wherein said transporting means comprises two endlessconveyors and said means for maintaining the articles of said batches inat least substantially unchanged positions with respect to each othercomprises confining panels mounted on said endless conveyors. 13.Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said withdrawing meanscomprises a vertically movable support and said magazine is disposed ata level below said evacuating station so that the stacks of articles onsaid support are moved downwardly during transport from said evacuatingstation.
 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the number ofarticles in each of said batches equals the number of articles in saidstacks so that the supply of articles in said magazine is exhausted inresponse to each operation of said transporting means.
 15. Apparatus asdefined in claim 11, wherein said walls are the bottom walls ofreceptacles at said evacuating station.
 16. Apparatus as defined inclaim 11, wherein the receptacles are polygonal trays.
 17. Apparatus asdefined in claim 11, further comprising means for monitoring the supplyof articles in said reservoir and for producing signals in response todepletion of such supply to a predetermined minimum value, and furthercomprising blocking means movable to and from a blocking position inwhich said blocking means prevents the transport of articles from saidmagazine into said reservoir, and control means for moving said blockingmeans from said blocking position in response to said signals. 18.Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said control means includeselectromagnet means which is energizable in response to said signals tothereby move said blocking means from said blocking position. 19.Apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising blocking meansmovable to and from a blocking position in which said blocking meansprevents the transport of articles from said magazine into saidreservoir, and control means for operating said transporting means inresponse to movement of said blocking means from said blocking position.20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said control meanscomprises detector means which is arranged to produce signals inresponse to movement of said blocking means from said blocking positionand said transporting means comprises motor means which is started inresponse to said signals.
 21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20, whereinsaid transporting means comprises a plurality of endless conveyors andsaid blocking means comprises panels articulately connected with saidconveyors.
 22. A method of feeding to a consuming station cigarettes oranalogous rod-shaped articles which are transported from at least oneproducing station to an evacuating station in the form of stacks ofparallel articles confined in receptacles of the type having a wallmovable between open and closed positions to allow for withdrawal of astack from such receptacle in the open position of said wall and whicharticles are further processed at the consuming station, comprising thesteps of moving the walls of successive filled receptacles at saidevacuating station to open positions; withdrawing the stacks from thereceptacles at said evacuating station immediately after movement of therespective walls to open positions by moving the respective stacks in asubstantially vertical direction while maintaining the articles of therespective stacks in at least substantially unchanged positions withrespect to each other whereby each of the thus withdrawn stacks forms anintermediate supply of articles; returning the walls of receptacles toclosed positions in response to completion of the respective withdrawingsteps; transporting batches of articles from said intermediate supply ina substantially horizontal direction while maintaining the articles ofthe respective batches in at least substantially unchanged positionswith respect to each other whereby the thus transported batches form amain supply of articles; and transferring articles from said main supplyto the consuming station at the rate at which the articles are beingprocessed at said consuming station.
 23. Apparatus for feeding to aconsuming station cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles which aretransported in receptacles from at least one producing station to anevacuating station and wherein each filled receptacle contains a stackof parallel articles, comprising a reservoir arranged to store afloating main supply of articles for delivery to said consuming stationat the rate at which the articles are being processed at the consumingstation; a magazine disposed between said evacuating station and saidreservoir; withdrawing means operative to move stacks of articles in asubstantially vertical direction from successive filled receptacles atsaid evacuating station into said magazine, said withdrawing means andsaid magazine comprising cooperating elements arranged to maintain thearticles of said stacks in at least substantially unchanged positionswith respect to each other; and transporting means operative to movebatches of articles from said magazine into said reservoir in asubstantially horizontal direction, including means for maintaining thearticles of such batches in at least substantially unchanged positionswith respect to each other, said last mentioned means comprising atleast one pair of mobile panels which are disposed between saidreservoir and said magazine during introduction of a stack of articlesinto said magazine to thus temporarily prevent the movement of articlesfrom said magazine into said reservoir. .Iadd.
 24. In a system forconveying cigarettes or other rod-like articles in containers, saidsystem including an article delivery device and an article receivingdevice, means for inserting articles into containers, and means forconveying containers, apparatus for forming a stream of articles,comprising an unloading station; means for conveying through saidunloading station a succession of containers containing batches of thearticles; means for successively removing batches of articles from saidcontainers; retaining means for receiving and confining batches ofarticles from said containers, said retaining means including spacedmembers arranged to confine each end of a batch; means for removing saidspaced members from around said batch; and means for conveying away fromsaid unloading station, as a continuous stream after said spaced membershave been removed, batches of articles received by said retaining means..Iaddend. .Iadd.25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 24 including means forintermittently driving said article conveying means and means forintermittently moving a container through said unloading station insynchronism with said conveying means, said batch removing means beingarranged to remove articles from said containers when said conveyingmeans and said container moving means are stationary. .Iaddend..Iadd.26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25 wherein the article conveyingmeans comprises an endless conveyor..Iaddend. .Iadd.27. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 26 wherein the spaced members include upstanding endplates associated with said conveyor, the spacing between adjacent endplates matching one dimension of a container.